Loose-leaf binder



Patented May 1, 1928.

UNIT-ED STATES 'PATENT oFFiCE,.1-=

HENRY C. MILLER, OF MILWAUKEE, VTSCONSIN; FIRST WISCONSIN`TR'STCCOMPKAJ`NY OF MILWAUKEE IEXECUTORl OF SAID HENRY `C. MILLER, DECEASED, ASSIGNQR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENT. T H. C. MILLER COMPANY, OF VMIILWAU'IEEE,"'lISCON- SIN, A CORI'VORATION 0F WISCONSIN.

Loose-LEAF BINDER.

Applicationilled June 29, 1925. lSeria1No.140,313.

their folding into the channel of the upper head, the parts carried bythe lower section being held against rotation in a counter-` clockwise direction such as necessary to detach the posts therefrom.

A further object of this invention resides in the provision oan improved typeof upper binder head of the submerged case type into which the free end portions of the postsare movable when the binder is locked.

A still further object of this invention resides in thevprovisionof an improved and simplified locking means for securing the upper binder'head'lto i the post against retraction.

With the above and other objects in view :which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention resides in the novel con- Y struction, combination and arrangement of parts substantially las hereinafter described and ,morerparticularlydefined by the appended claims, it being' understood that such changesin the preciseembodiment ofthe "hereindisclosed invention may be made as comewithin the scope of the claims. 40 In the accompanying drawing, Ihave illnstrated one complete example of the physical embodiment of my invention constructed a, according to the bestmode I have sofar devised 'for 'the practicalfapplication of the principles thereof, and? ini'which:

` 4Figurel is a top plan view of the binder head end cfa loose-leaf binder embodying my invention;

F'gure "2 1s aview, partly "in section and noljpartly in elevatiomtaken through Figure i onl the 'plane-of 'the line 2-2, and

Figure 3 is a fragmentary View, partlynin section and partly in elevation, f taken ihrou'gh Figure 2 on the planeof theline .3. p a The binder illustrated in the accompanying drawingis of the type especially designed for use in connection with bill postingor other machines of a similar v characteriin which itis desirable that the binder posts .beheld substantially upright and rigidwhen the upper head is removedY to facilitate the easy placing of the sheets over the posts. :To

this end the improved type ofl posts, hereinafter described, are provided wherein the sections are spring held in eitherA longitudinal alignment or'in angular positions so that the free end portions of=the post may be folded over the upper'head when the binder is closed to permit the storing ofthe binder on shelf or other small space.

In the drawings the numerals 5 and `6 designate, respectively, upper and "slower binder heads formed of bendable sheet meta-l and having their endsclosed by plugimembers 7 having lugs .8 which. project inwardly to pivotally receive therebetween the covers'9.

The lower head 6 is ycompletely closed whereas the upper head is ofthe submerged case type in that its top is open and thesides of the metal forming the `head :curve `inwardly a short distance,` as at 10, to partly engage over the attachinglugs .of theend Y plugs 7.

The heads of` the binder are connected by posts 11 adapted to have their free end portions passed upwardly through apertures 12 4in the head 5 to which theyarereleasably vconnectible to lock the heads-in iixed relation and clampv al body of 1eaves13therebetween. A

'The posts 4illustratedin the ldrawdngare i of novel construction, each beingl-"iformedfof Isectionsl/land 15. Eaclrsection 14His-connected with the lower binder head iii-fthe manner later described and opposite `sides of its upper end are cut away to form a flat lug 16 which pivotally fits in a :slotlcut in the 'inner endof theadjacent-section 15 where it vis `held by 'a pin 18. Each 4section 15 is readily releasably secured in eitherthe full or dotted line positionsillustratediin Figure 2 by a plunger or pin 19 slidably mounted in a bore or recess 20 centrally formed in the section and communicating with the slot 17. The plungers 19 are at all times urged outwardly of the bore to cngage its inner pointed end 21 with the lugs 16 of the adjacent sections 141, the lugs 1G being provided with notches Q2 in their sides and notches Q3 in their upper ends so that with the plungers engaging in the notches 22, the sections are retained in their Afull line positions and with the plungcrs engagingr the notches 23 the sections are in their dotted line positions.

The free ende of the sections 15 are preterably tapered, as at 2st. to facilitate the engagement thereover of the leaves 13 when the binder is being utilized in connection with a billing or other type of machine when it is necessary that the operator quickly place the leaves over the posts.

The sections 14 may be composed of extensible sections 25 and the section as a whole is connected with the lower head hy thc threaded stud 26 on its lowerinost. end which is threaded in a sleeve or tumbler QT rotationally mounted in thc head by having its opposite ends turned down to form bearings 2S rotatable in openings i2!) in the top and bottom walls of the head. Each tu1nbler Q7 has one end ot'a spring 30 coiled tightly therearouiid, as at 3l, with its upper end extended along,r the head top wall and secured thereto preferably by being inserted through a strap or eyelet 3Q formed by striking a portion of the wall inwardly. The spring 30 is so wound about the tumbler 27 that rotation thereof in a counter-clock- Wise direction looking at thc head from the top, such as necessary to nnscrew the stud 26 of the section therefrom, tends to wind the spring more tightly thereon, thus holding the tumbler against rotation to permit; detachment of the post section therefrom.

In connecting the posts with the lower head, the studs 26 thereot` are threaded into the internally threaded bores 26 of the tumblers and if the lugs 1G of thc posts fail to longitudinally align with the upper head when the studs 26 are entirely threaded into the tumblers, the posts may be turned in a clock-wise direction until the studs align to permit the foldingr of their free end portions or sections 15 into the recess or channel 33 of the upper head, the tumblers rotating with the posts and slipping within the spring coils 31 as such movement tends to unwind the springs, as will be readily apparent.

After the leaves 13 have been engaged over the posts and the upper head placed in position, the upper head is pressed against the leaves and the free end portions are swung into the channel 33 when the locking means now about to be described are actuated to connect thc. posts with the upper head and prevent the retraction thereof and to con fine the leaves between the heads under a tension. The locking means consists of a plate or slide 3-'1 which has itsl ends centrally notched, as at 35, to conform with the curvature of the openings 1Q and thc distance between the innermost points of the noticlnrs 35 is slightly greater than the distance hetween the innermost points ot the openings 12. The plate is secured in position for slight sliding movement by rivets or other means 3G fixed to the upper head and passed through elongated openings or slots` 37 in the plate. The. openings 12 are sutiiciently oveisize to permit the insertion of the posts therethrough with the ends of the slide l-lslightly7 projecting thcreover and means are cngageable with one post to clamp the .saine and move it toward the innermost portion ol its opening to bear against the adjacent notched end of the .slide and shift the saine, longitudinally and clamp the, other post his tween its other notched end and the outermost portion ot its opening 12.

The means for clamping the irst post consists of a. plate 38 slidably secured in the upper head by a rivet or other member 3) outwardly of the adjacentl post and having a T-shaped openingr 10 in its outer end in which an enlargement or head -ll formed on the inner end ot a screw 1'2 is engaged, the .screw l2 being threaded in the bore 3 of the adjacent plug end i and having a key llt on its end extended beyond the. side of the upper head. As will be evident, as the screw -ll is screwed inwardly, the plate 3S bears against the adjacent post, causing it to move toward the inner end of its opening l2, as previously described, shifting the member ill to engage and lock the other post.

From the foregoing dest-ription taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, it will be readily :pparent to those .skilled in the art to which an invention ot this character apertains that l providtI an improved type ot binder in which the post free end portions may he instantly aligned with the upper head without necessitatinrcr the loosening of the connection between the post sections, one in which the post sections may be secured in a. straight line and there held for convenience in placing leaves thenovcr and one in which a very simple. and improved locking feature. provided.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character described, a support, a member, means mounting said member on the support for rotation in one di rection only, a post member, and a threaded connection between the post member and said rst member, whereby the post member may be connected with the support through the first-named member, the direction of rotation o the first member boing such as to tion of the first member in the direction the post member isturned to be detached from the first member and yieldably permitting its rotation in a reverse direction.

3. In a loose-leaf binder, a binder head, a tumbler rotatably mounted on the head, a post adapted to have a threaded connection with the tumbler and consequently with the head, and means preventing the rotation of the tumbler in the direction the post is ro tated to tighten its connection therewith and permitting rotation thereof in a reverse direction.

4. In a loose-leaf binder, a binder head, a tumbler rotatably mounted on the head, a post adapted to have a threaded connect-ion with the tumbler and consequently with the head, and spring means preventing the rotation of the tumbler under stress in the direction the post is rotated to tighten its connection therewith, and means permitting rotation of the tumbler in a reverse direction.

5. yIn a loose-leaf binder including binder heads connected by a binder post, a tumbler rotatably carried by one head, the binder post having a, threaded connection with the tumbler and consequently with the head carrying the tumbler, and a spring having one end connected with said head and its other end coiled about the tumbler whereby rotation of the tumbler in a direction tending to Wind the end of the spring coiled thereabout is prevented but the rotation thereof in a reverse direction is permitted under friction.

k6. A loose-leaf binder, comprising up er and lower binder heads, the upper bin er head having a channel in its top face, a post adapted to adjustably connect the heads, one end of the post being connected with the lower head and its other end portion beino free and adapted to be passed through t 1e upper binder head and folded in the channel thereof, and means permitting the yieldable rotation of the binder post to align its free end portion with the upper head channel.

7. A loose-leaf binder, comprising upper and lower binder heads, a post adapted to adjustably connect` the heads, said post in and lower binder heads, a post adapted to adjustably connect the heads, said post including hingedly connected sections capable of relative movement in but one plane, one end of the post being Connected with the lower head and its other end portionbeing normally free and adapted to be passed through the upper head and `folded thereover in longitudinal alignment therewith, means permitting the swinging of the folded end portion of thepost into longitudinal alignment with' the upper binder head, and means operable to yieldably retain the post in either folded position or in a substantially straight position.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

HENRY C. MILLER. 

